[General] The Wizard of Oz & Literature

[thedaffodils]

Hi! Could someone please answer the questions for me as below? Thanks!

Q1: Is The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum literature works?

Q2: Who or which organisation(s) define whether the works we read belong to literature or not? Beauty is in the eye of beholder. For instance, few people wanted the oil paintings of Vincent van Gogh when he were alive, and he was nobody; but after he died, suddenly all his works turn into treasures, and he was crowned great artist today.

[Anglika]

Originally Posted by thedaffodils

Hi! Could someone please answer the questions for me as below? Thanks!

Q1: Is The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum literature works? It is a book written for children which remains in print after 100 years. As such, it must have some kind of artistic merit and thus it is a work of literature.

Q2: Who or which organisation(s) define whether the works we read belong to literature or not? Beauty is in the eye of beholder. For instance, few people wanted the oil paintings of Vincent van Gogh when he were alive, and he was nobody; but after he died, suddenly all his works turn into treasures, and he was crowned great artist today. No organization. Literary critics will evaluate quality of writing and publish their views, readers will decide if they agree or not. Literature as a term covers any written works, especially those regarded as having artistic merit. Most classic literature survives because it still resonates with the reader.
As to Van Gogh, there were people who regarded him as a great painter in his own day, but his technique and visual expression were avant-garde and therefore not easy to sell. It requires money to buy paintings and there were a few rich people who sought his work. Also, his sole agent was his brother, and neither man was easy to deal with.

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[thedaffodils]

Hi Anglika, thank you very much for your answer.